


Dear Flora

by TheMockingJ3



Series: Put Yourself Back In The Narrative [2]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, Layton's Mystery Journey
Genre: Crossings out, Discussions about hospitals, F/F, Family, Flora-centric - Freeform, Friendship, Gen, Grief, Letters, Long-Distance Friendship, Long-Distance Relationship, Minor Tony/Sean, Other characters are mentioned but those tagged are the letter writers, missing family members
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25107793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMockingJ3/pseuds/TheMockingJ3
Summary: Many people have written letters to Professor Layton over the years. Now, in the wake of the professor's disappearance, they write to Flora.(This can be read as part of a series, but it can also be read as stand-alone!)
Relationships: Clive & Flora Reinhold, Dahlia Reinhold & Flora Reinhold, Flora & a lot of characters, Flora Reinhold & Angela Ledore, Flora Reinhold & Arianna Barde, Flora Reinhold & Brenda Triton, Flora Reinhold & Constable Barton, Flora Reinhold & Doctor Andrew Schrader, Flora Reinhold & Don Paolo, Flora Reinhold & Emmy Altava, Flora Reinhold & Katia Anderson, Flora Reinhold/Original Female Character(s), Raymond & Layton siblings
Series: Put Yourself Back In The Narrative [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1831519
Comments: 12
Kudos: 17





	Dear Flora

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: For most of the series, possibly including the anime.  
> Set: About a year after Layton and Luke disappeared.  
> Warnings: Grief, a couple of discussions about sickness and hospitals, missing family members (obviously). As this is a series of letters, it's the one time I can say the 'crossed out' errors are intended!  
> Note: This started out a Flora Whump and became something else... There will be Flora Whump following this.

_ Flora,  _

_ I need to keep this short— we’re just about to leave.  _

_ We’ve searched every nook and cranny in this hellhole but we’ve had no luck. I’m positive now that **they** have nothing to do with the disappearance. I i ~~nterro~~ interviewed their current leader. He offered to assist us with the search, but I ~~told him to~~ turned him down.  _

_ Watch out for those vultures, okay? If you see anything fishy, go straight to ~~Scotland Yard~~... Commissioner Grosky.  _

_ I’m not sure what our next destination will be, but I’ll write to you as soon as we get there.  _

_ I’ll ask D to deliver this letter. _

_ Stay safe, _

_ Em  _

* * *

_ To the Layton Clan,  _

_ Your uncle can’t seem to find time to write a letter (I doubt you would be able to read his scrawl, anyway), so I have taken it upon myself to do so. _

_ Please, don’t think too harshly of him; he is doing everything in his power to locate your father and young Luke. He barely sleeps. The other day, he almost dozed off at the dashboard!  _

_ Our search of the ancient Azran sites has proved fruitless so far, but we are not through yet. We still have a jungle left to explore. Your uncle has threatened to burn down every last tree... I’ll tell him to **leaf** them alone.  _

_ Miss Altava has advised that the **agency** are not behind your father’s absence. Your uncle isn’t convinced, but I trust Miss Altava’s judgement.  _

_ Take care, _

_ A Wise Guardian  _

* * *

_ Dear Flora, Alfendi and Kat  _

_ How are all of you? Keeping Rosa busy, I’ll bet! (I’m just joking, of course...)  _

_ Is Alfendi doing okay in uni? How is Kat finding school? Flora, have you heard from Kuri lately? Is Mrs Layton home from the hospital yet?  _

_ Sorry for all the questions— we’re just so out of the loop... but not for much longer.  _

_ Clark and I are nearly done with the arrangements here. We should be able to move to England by the end of the month.  _

_ It won’t be the same, being back without Luke and Hershel... but at least we’ll be closer to you and we’ll be more involved in the search. _

_ Marina’s family have got the Gulf Coast covered. If anything pops up, they’ll call us right away.  _

_ I’ve been writing to Arianna as well. She said Sean proposed to Tony— can you believe it? We’re all invited to the wedding, whenever that is.... _

_ It feels wrong to be discussing weddings while Luke and Hershel are still missing, but I suppose life must go on for everyone else.  _

_ Love, _

_ Brenda and Clark xoxo _

* * *

_ Dear Flora,  _

_ Forgive me for the late reply.  _

_ In all honesty, I find it difficult to write to you— just as you must struggle to read my letters— because I always end up asking about Luke. I assume there hasn’t been any success with the search? Of course not... You would have said something otherwise.  _

_ The world is so vast, but ~~he~~ **they** must be out there somewhere. We can’t give up hope.  _

_ On a brighter note, Tony will be getting married soon. We’ll be sending out the invitations in due course. _

_ I hope you and your siblings will be able to attend. It would be nice to see you again.  _

_ Best wishes,  _

_ Arianna  _

* * *

_ Hi guys,  _

_ Here are the tapes from Kat’s Grade 2 piano exam. She was brilliant! Congratulations again, Kat. You must be so proud. I know your father ~~wou~~ will be too!  _

_ Don’t forget, no lesson next week. I’m off to visit the town of Labyrinthia with a friend.  _

_ See you soon,  _

_ Janice  _

* * *

_ Dearest Flora, _

_ I trust this letter finds you well.  _

_ How is everything in London? I know we seem so faraway, but if there are any problems or you just need company, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Randall and Henry are still hard at work scouring the Infinite Vault, but they would visit you in a heartbeat. All of us would.  _

_ Or, if you would ever like a change of scenery, there’s always room here at the manor.  _

_ Please let us know if there are any updates on Hershel and Luke.  _

_ Yours sincerely, _

_ Aunt Angela  _

_ P.S. I’ve enclosed a cheque for you and your siblings. _

_ P.P.S. Randall has asked me to enclose some puzzles as well.  _

_ P.P.P.S. Also enclosed are several recipes from Henry and photos of Alphonse’s new puppy, Petunia. It’s a miracle I could seal the envelope!  _

* * *

_ My Darling Flora,  _

_ I do hope you can read Matthew’s handwriting and we have the correct address this time. It’s been a pain sending letters since Elizabeth and Stachenscarfen permanently moved to London... Not that it’s a pain writing to you, Darling.  _

_ What I mean is that I wish we could talk **face to face.** When will you be coming to see us? It’s been so very long...  _

_ Everyone in the village misses you, especially Claudia! ~~She~~ He_ _hasn’t eaten anything in months... _

_ There haven’t been any breakthroughs in the professor’s case, have there? It’s not safe for you to remain in London without a guardian or a husband. You really should consider moving back in with us. Katrielle and Alfredo would be welcome too!  _

_ You must respond as soon as you receive this letter.  _

_ Love,  _

_ Your extremely concerned stepmother, _ _Dahlia _

_ P.S. Miss Flora, Claudia is fine and the choice to stay in London is yours alone.  _

_ Sincerely,  _ _ Matthew _

* * *

_ Dear ~~Hersh~~ Flora  _

_ Please do not trouble yourself worrying about me. I can assure you that I am perfectly safe.  _

_ Believe it or not, this isn’t my first time travelling through Australia. I am equipped with the best provisions and a team of trusted archaeologists— one of whom happens to be Hershel’s former student.  _

_ Our outback guide is famous for wrestling crocodiles. (He has vowed to teach me his ways some day!) The most I have to fear is getting sunburned.  _

_ I’m not naive enough to hope that I might run into your father here... but perhaps I will encounter a traveller who has seen him. There is no one on Earth quite like Hershel Layton. I have brought a photo of him with me, just in case.  _

_ It will be a while before I am able to send another letter. Please give my regards to Clark and Dean Delmona. _

_ Your friend, _

_ Andrew Schrader _

* * *

_ Dear Flora,  _

_ I’m afraid there’s been no sign of the professor in Dropstone, Folsense or on the Molentary Express.  _

_ Uncle Fredrich (Yes, he still runs the train!)  _ _ has increased the number of security cameras at all of his stations. If there’s anything suspicious from Paddington to Luxenbelle, we’ll pick it up.  _

_ Sammy said he’ll raise awareness at his next concert.  _

_ If you ever want to talk, feel free to call me or stop by Dropstone. I’ll clear my schedule any time. _

_ Fondly, _

_ Katia  _

* * *

_ To Flora Reinhold Layton (or whatever your name is these days),  _

_ Mark my words— I have **nothing** to do with their disappearance. Yes, I imprisoned ‘Apprentice Number One’ at the museum, but I knew Layton would come rushing in to save him.  _

_ I **wish** I could tell you where those two ninnies are. They have something I was after. I’m still searching for that something, so if I happen to find it, I might find them.  _

_ If **anyone else** has disposed of Layton, they’ll be very sorry indeed. _

_ From what I’ve gathered, none of his previous foes are responsible... but I could be wrong. Layton has a surprising number of foes for a true gentleman.  _

_ Do me a favour and get Scotland Yard off my back. _

_ Ciao.  _

* * *

_ Good day, Miss, _

_ Terribly sorry, but we haven’t had any new leads, and there’s still no sign of Don Paolo. (Between you and me, I don’t think he’s the culprit, but Chelmey’s determined to catch him!) _

_ Below is a puzzle that contains a message from our feathered friend. He’s nice and safe in his cage. We’re keeping a close eye on him— don't you worry.  _

_ I‘m happy to report that there hasn’t been any interference from the ~~hawk~~ _ _raptor. (Too obvious?) I doubt that he’s played a part in this either... _

_ Stay alert and don’t lose face. Justice will prevail one of these days. We’ll bring your father home, I promise.  _

~~_ The professor always helped me _ ~~

~~_ I know what it’s like to lose _ ~~

~~_ Where was I going with this? _ ~~

_ The Yard’s got your back!  _

_ Inspector Barton  _

* * *

_ Flora, _

_ Has there been any news on the professor? The guards are either clueless or they’re keeping me in the dark. They’re worried that without the professor... I’ll snap.  _

_ I won’t. I swear, I won’t. _

_ I’m sorry. You don’t owe me a single thing but... please, just keep me posted.  _

* * *

_ Hi, Flora  _

_ It’s taken me far too long to write this... _

_ In my defence, I initially tried writing it in the style of a Victorian love letter, like something out of those murder mystery novels you’re so obsessed with. (You're still obsessed with them, right?) _

_ But then I realised how artificial that sounded. I need to be clear with you.  _

_ Hisato isn’t getting any better. He has another operation coming up this week... And, if it’s successful, several more planned after that. I can’t say how long it will go on for. I wish I knew, but at the same time, I’m scared of knowing. Does that make sense...?  _

_ All of this has taken such a toll on Kazue. It may be ~~cliched~~ cliché for me to say, but Hisato is his other half. If the worse does come to pass, I need to be here for my younger brother ~~s~~. _

_ I know you’ll understand. You would do the same for Al and Kat. How are the three of you coping? Where are you living now? I hope it’s somewhere fancy.  _

_ I’m sorry I can’t be there to help you. I miss you more than anything.  _

_ I won’t ask you to wait for me. Once, when we were at the bus stop, you told me that you always felt like you were waiting. Whether it was up in your tower, in the professor’s office, or at the airport when I had to leave you... _

_ You’ve waited too long already, but...  _

_ If you happen to still be single when all of this is over, I’ll swim across the sea just to be with you. I’ll swim across the sea either way. I’ll even eat your killer fish cakes!  _

_ Whatever fate has in store for us, your father better be back in time to walk you down the aisle.  _

_ All of my love,  _

_ Kuri <3 _


End file.
